To ask, how you deal with tinnitus?

[Tootsey11]

Just that really, how do you keep it calm, how do you sleep when it gets bad, anything you have tried to lessenit and has been effective.

What do you do for a living, how do you manage?

Unfortunately, I haven't really found a way to deal with tinnitus. I don't know how severely I have it compared to others, but I have a constant ringing which makes it difficult to hear people speaking when there is a lot of background noise.

I am trying to protect what I have left by avoiding noisy places and sharp, shock noises (banging and the like).

I have started to research treatments that might be available, but when I looked a few years ago there were none I'm afraid to say.

Sorry to not be of much help, other than to be a fellow sufferer. Hopefully someone else might know more than I.

Had it in my left ear about 5 years following a virus,loud high pitch constant whine. Nights were the worst,I bought an old school alarm clock with a loud tick tock,and I consent rate on that. Occasionally the right ear joins in,but so loudly I can't hear or have a conversation. Consultant at the time said I had mild hearing loss consistent with my age.... now 72. I haven't tried it or know someone who has, but I understand CBT is helpful.

Thank you for the reply. This is a relatively new thing for me, NHS unhelpful, Gp laughed, thought it was hilarious that I couldn't deal with it. I am determined to check every possible avenue for a cause. So, thyroid problem, low estrogen, neck problems, etc.

I no longer know what to do about work, as I use equipment all which generates noise to an extent and now am afraid of making things worse.

Same as others, no solution other than learning not to focus on it.
If you tune into it then it's hard to let go and it can drive you to distraction.
Focus on whatever else is going on: the words someone is saying to you; the task you are doing (washing up or whatever).
At night time, I read before I turn out the light and think about what I just read while trying to fall asleep.

Mindfulness will help to train your brain if this feels difficult.

I do focus on it. Tinnitus has been a blessing for me as I suffer from misophonia (rage at certain sounds/repetitions). Focusing on my Tinnitus lessens my inner rage.....

My DDad had this. It drive him crazy. Like so much so that he told me he was thinking of taking an overdose to finish it but was worried he would get the dosage wrong and end up a conscious vegetable. With tinnitis.

In the end we discovered he was utterly riddled with cancer and he died very quickly after diagnosis. They didn't do an inquest but my money is on him having had a metastasised tumour in his ear. Apparently ear cancer can cause tinnitis.

I think your GP has no real understanding of how loud it really is. He probably thinks it's like that slight ring people get. You can go to tinnitus.org.uk/ for support

I meant autopsy not inquest- sorry

I've had tinnitus since my teens, so for 30 years now. The sound I hear is what it's like when you've been to a concert and your ears ring when you get home. I have it 24/7 but it's worse at night when it's quiet. I'm afraid it doesn't go you just learn to live with it. I do have the radio on to fall asleep as sometimes the noise drives me mad, but only if I focus on it.
Sorry I can't offer any solutions, but you're not alone

Your GP is an arse for laughing at you.

If you haven't been to an ENT, see if you can get a referral.

Certain medications can cause it or make it worse.

Since it's new for you it takes time to get used to it and then you don't really notice it anymore unless someone mentions it or you happen to notice it.

I have hearing aids that reduce it.

Learn meditation too.

It weird because that side is deaf except for the tinnitus.

This is exactly the same for me. Too much time in loud clubs I think. I use an air purifier at night which gives off a low hum that helps to mask the ringing. I'm learning to try to distract myself/my brain when I start to focus on it too much. I recently started running outside with my dog, I didn't realise at first why it gives me so much peace but then realised the sounds of the trees and the birds mean I don't hear the ringing so I try to use that time to breath and focus on positive things. It's very hard OP, you're not on your own.

I suffered one sided sudden hearing loss last year. My high and mid frequency hearing has gone forever, to be replaced by unending tinnitus. A hearing aid had definitely helped, there's evidence that they can make a difference.

Mine becomes very noticeable at night. What really helps are headphoned designed to wear in bed, like a hairband. I listen to the podcast 'nothing much happens' and find the simple act of listening to the storyteller's voice tunes out the tinnitus and I can fall asleep. Good luck!

Mine gets worse if I'm stressed. My GP referred me to audiology where I was given things that look like hearing aids (masking device) which play a low sound in your ears to distract your ears from hearing the noise. Mine is like a high pitched whine in both ears.

At work/home I tend to have a radio on - or a fan in the background. Nights can be bad, haven't found anything that distracts me!

I have hearing aids on the NHS that play white noise. They're set at just under my tinnitus level so I have to concentrate on the white noise.
From tests I've been shown to have lost the upper pitches in my hearing. They told me when this happens the brain that controlled these looks for something to do, hence the tinnitus. This obviously might not be the same for everyone.
I can pretty much zone out from it (I have it in both ears but worse in my right) and use the aids when I can't. I think they took me seriously because I have a life threatening condition and every time I was asked my conditions I told them I had tinnitus so it was on my medical record for over twenty years.
When I heard about help that might be available I sought it after being told to basically suck it up for years, nothing that could be done.
Recently it became unbearable. I had a haemoglobin level that needed several blood transfusions. I never knew anaemia could make it worse. Since I've got my anaemia back under control it's back to a more bearable level.

I don’t know if you mean that it’s so loud it imposes on your daytime activities, or it’s more of a stress when you’re trying to get to sleep. I’ve had the latter at many points over the years as I’ve had various problems with my ears. As others have said, you do get used to trying to acknowledge but also ignore it at the same time. You can get white noise CDs and apps that are meant to help. At times I found leaving the bathroom fan on all night, or radio static quite helpful. But I would definitely investigate it further because I had it for quite a long time combined with itchy and irritated ears and once I got that sorted out the tinnitus calmed down a lot as well. So asking for a referral to ENT would be a first step, whether your GP laughs at you or not (!!) they should nonetheless do that. Or if you can afford to go privately there are some fantastic ENT doctors working privately.

I have pulsatile tinnitus in my left ear 24/7. It came on several months ago coinciding with constant dizziness and after a negative MRI I was diagnosed with vestibular hypofunction. A private hearing test said my hearing was fine, on the NHS they aid I had mild hearing loss?! I'm 51.
The dizziness resolved with vestibular exercises but my heartbeat still pumps away day and night. I could tell you my heart rate at any time.
I've also had cardiac arrhythmia and am on meds for that, and specialist wonders if some nervous system disorder is the cause of it all.
Fed up.

OP, I had it after I gave birth to DS for months and it was driving me mad particularly at night. I find it's the worst when it's really quiet around me. I still suffer from it periodically but there were some things that helped:

• Distraction: either trying to drown it for example listening to relaxing music or meditation before sleep.
• White noise machine: DS has Dreamegg and honestly, the wave sound works miracles when it comes to my tinnitus. His bedroom is next to mine and I listen to his Dreamegg via baby monitor. Hands down, it's the best thing ever.
• Avoid NSAIDs, Ibuprofen and particularly stronger ones - as I found out after my C-section, most can trigger tinnitus.
• Sleeping assistance: this would mean any meds or herbal remedies that are calming and assist with sleep, I don't know if you are on any or if you think you should be, but there's a range of things that could be helpful, starting from reducing caffeine, Kalms, other calming herbal remedies, antihistamines, ADs, obviously ask your GP first. I find my anxiety often triggers tinnitus too so I think they are linked somehow. This is if you're suffering at night.
• If something triggers me in the day, I have to leave the room and usually get out for some fresh air and breathe and it calms down then.

Best of luck, it can be a really unpleasant thing to have sometimes!

Also it rarely happens to me in work as I work in an open space environment and I think even if it were to happen, I wouldn't concentrate on it. But sometimes if I need to concentrate particularly heavily for several hours, I put on a headset and stream some gentle background music, this way I'm not distracted by anything, tinnitus, colleagues chatting etc.

I recently had an appointment with the tinnitus clinic at my local hospital which was a follow up to my GP’s referral to audiology for a hearing test. I’ve been a long time sufferer and it’s got worse over the past 5 years coinciding with some hearing loss. After my hearing was checked and we discussed the results, the audiologist then referred me to her colleague when I said the tinnitus was driving me mad and bothered me far more than the hearing loss.

As there are no physiological symptoms causing my tinnitus, it seems that the only way to manage it is to mask or disguise it and use distraction techniques.

She recommended a free and simple app: ReSound, which gives sounds to listen to, relaxation techniques, information about tinnitus, etc. which I have found to be helpful. It really does seem that the only solution is to distract oneself as tinnitus is incurable.

For night time, when mine is sometimes worse, or more noticeable in the quiet, she suggested I try headband headphones to listen to my favourite ‘white noise’ or other constant sounds to override the tinnitus sounds, without disturbing my partner.

For further information, the NHS also recommends tinnitus.org.uk/ for comprehensive and up to date information.

My husband was fobbed off for years. Told his unilateral tinnitus was caused by listening to loud music. Eventually a scan revealed it was a tumour.

He just lives with the tinnitus. Sometimes it drives him nuts, most of the time he can zone it out.

Mine just is what it is tbh. It used to drive me mad but I kind of zone it out now and am conscious not to listen to music too loud etc. It does sadden me sometimes that I will never hear silence, but hey.

DH was driven mad by his but has ended up with hearing aids anyway due to loss of hearing at the upper ranges, and they knock it out so it is a win win

Had it for about 8 years now. Constant ringing in both ears. Generally louder in my right. Sometimes spikes in volume for no discernable reason. I can zone it out mainly. It's bugging me now because I'm thinking about it. I nearly always have some form of noise on. Music, a podcast or an audio book. I listen to a familiar audio book at night, but if I wake up during the night I need to rewind and put it back to where I fell asleep.
In short I've learned to live with it. Still gets to me on occasion. Have saw an ENT and had scan. Which was fine.

Have you tried the tapping technique? I only have it very mildly (apologies to those who have it severely). When I get it I cup my ears with my palms and then tap (smack!) the back of my head. It always works.

Well, it depends how yours developed, but there are CBT methods to overcome it in certain cases like mine.

At university I developed tinnitus after a loud gig and it got worse and worse. The GP told me I'd damaged my hearing and not to go anywhere with music that loud, not even with earplugs. So that was my social life killed, it was awful and I got more and more anxious and it got worse and worse.

Luckily, my parents were aware of a private specialist in London and after 3 miserable months I went to see him. He did hearing tests to show me my hearing was undamaged, and explained that I was anxious and just 'tuning in' to the 'music of the brain' and hence it was getting worse and worse. And that is was common for musical people (I'm a singer) to develop it this way. I'll never forget the relief I felt! I had a programme of listening to white noise at night and wearing special noise-emitters that looked like hearing aids during the day for about a year, and after that it was gone.

Obviously, in some cases it is a more physical cause and can't be treated this way, although I think white noise etc can still help. Unfortunately there's very little knowledge of it outside the NHS. if you can go privately, the Tinnitus & Hyperacusis centre is still there tinnitus.org/

I’ve had tinnitus for nearly 30 years and the harshest/most upsetting words from the ENT consultant turned out to be the most practical/helpful - you have to find a way to live with it.

Its Tinnitus Week apparently according to the website of the Royal National Institute for the Deaf so do have a look at their help guide.

I used to panic a lot when I first developed it and especially when I went to bed when everything was quiet. I heard about some deep breathing exercises at a support group meeting that I went to where you concentrate on breathing very deeply, right down to your stomach, and focus on your body breathing in and out. It’s very important to take deep breaths, rather than shallow breathing. It actually felt like a miracle that I could hear the tinnitus getting much quieter.

I am also very protective of my ears and will not expose them to loud noises if I can, avoid places with loud music like concerts, bars and clubs etc (you can wear ear plugs of course), I block them if I pass road works using noisy equipment etc.

I am prone to glue ear and ear infections since childhood and I always get given antibiotics for these because the tinnitus goes berserk if left.

My tinnitus started after developing TMJ Dysfunction and after that a started the noise levels improved a lot but I still get occasional flare-ups, particularly with the aforementioned ear infections.

Just reading all your replies. I did have an appointment with an Ent last week, I found them very unhelpful. The thing is there are lots of things that can cause tinnitus which can be fixed, and I don't understand why some have the opinion not to bother trying such as the audiologist. I'm young, I have no hearing loss, I want to try everything I can to be back to somewhat normality.